The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1887-12-08
THE HAMILTON CASE.
Significance of the Supreme
Courts Decision, and a Re
sumo of the Murder on
the Bridge.
The Legal Obstacles to Denying Eubanks
Bail Explained.


the grand jury, in stamping on
Col. Hamilton's brow that most awful
and disgTacetul of words that outraged
justice can apply to a human being
"MURDERER".
The ease thus has at last reached Il
elimination on the line ofprocccd-
ings instituted by the defense for
Hamilton ct al. After most careful
review of the whole case. the court de
cided that Eubanks should have been
admitted to bail. and that bail was
rightfully denied in case of Hamilton.
Judge Arnold delivered dissenting
4 opinion, in which he said that Hamil-
ton also was entitled to bail.
AS this is the elimination of the
most remarkable and complicated ha
bcas corpus trial ever before MisSiS-
sippi court, Il resume will he both I'M
portant and interesting.
On the 9th of May, 1887, II. ID. Gam
brell was killed at night on the spot
on Capital street. lOnclicst and best
adapted to deed of blood. At once
the statement of Hamilton, who was
undoubtedly implicated in the killing,
was flashed abroad. The friends of
slain young man were silent. he him
/ self having been Drained into silence,
and watched by an officer till he was
dead, and the fact duly reported to
/ Hamilton.
\ Coyoner's Jury was summoned.
and in spite of the efforts of Ham
/ ilton's leading attorney to muzzle
| them, began an investigation. Wit
nesSeS, with the hor!id scenes and
sounds of The night encounter burn
/ ing fresh and fierce in their tinging
/ brain, were summoned before the Jury.
and gave in their testimony before it
was possible for them to he tampcrcd
with. OF to hold consultation with
/ iIamilton'S witness CATERERS. Aver
diet was pronounced. 1t was that "R.
ID. Gamhrcll came to his death at the
hands of Hamilton and others"
The men who heard the best first
testimony brought Il verdict of con-
spiracy and assassination.
Those significantly found on and
around the scene at that unusual time,
and known to hold in their hearts a
ranking hate against the murdered
editor, were arrested. Witnesses saw
a number Of men there, but could not
identify them. Eubanks was certain
~ there, and knew the truth OF the
matter.
His testimony before the Coroner
jury as to his watch Of young Gambrcll
and report to Col. Hamilton, together
with much other corroborative evil
dencc, laid the ground for the belief
of conspiracy, and on that evidence.
(not before the Supreme Court, in its
entirety the popular verdict was rem
dered ,ncvcr,we believe to he reversed.
The case went from the COrOner's jury to
/ Chancellor PeytOn on writ of habeas
corpus, and after a most exhaustive
and liberal eXaminatiOn-an eXamina-
ton in which everything was done by
the State to get at the cold, clear truth
of the case-twO of the prisoners were
discharged and one held on bail, and
Hamilton and Eubanks were rcmandcd
to jail.
The Grand jury met and indicted
Albrccht, Eubanks and Hamilton for
murder.
Next the case, having been trans
ferrcd to the Rankin county court and
continued, came up on another writ be
fore Judge Cooper. He decided every
point against the prisoners, and
an appeal was sustained by a full
court.
The decision of last Monday involved
several law points, besides opening
| the case fully on its merits. The de-
cisiOn of the court does not fully meet
! the views of either side of the SORROW
full controversy. While this, the
/ highest court in the land, discards the
the theory of conspiracy and admits
EubankS to bail, it holds that Hamil-
ton was guilty as charged. The
court discredtS the theory of both
sides alike and without discussing the
! evidence holds Hamilton murder
er.
He was stinging under the true and
glaring exposures of his character
made by the editor, saw his oppOrtuni-
ty for his dark revenge, crept out of
his carriage, and warily awaiting the
approach of his victim, murdered him
there i'll the concealing night.
We are unable to see how Eubanks,
who was c0ntessedly there on the
bridge and had no business out of the
wagon, other than of assisting Col.
Hamilton in his crimson crime, could
be adiudged innocent, but we have no
criticism to offer on the august court.
1t is well to remember, however, that
the confession, wrung from Eubank's